Evaluation of Australian Childhood Foundation's ChildSPACE project (Bega Valley Shire, NSW)

The communities of the Bega Valley Shire, on the traditional lands of the Yuin Nation, have endured a relentless sequence of natural disasters in the form of drought, flood, and fire since 2018, particularly during the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, historically one of the most life-threatening natural disasters that has impacted the community to date. In 2021 and 2022, community resilience was further tested by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting restrictions and impact on service delivery. Understanding the impact of sustained collective trauma on children and families, Australian Childhood Foundation established the ChildSPACE project, leading the coordination and mobilisation of services to reach those most in need. The project has been operating for two years and is beginning a new chapter in its transition to full local community ownership and leadership. It is an opportune time to pause, assess the impact of the project to date, and plan for the future of ChildSPACE. Researchers from the Centre for Transforming early Education and Child Health (TeEACH) at Western Sydney University were commissioned to evaluate the impact of the ChildSPACE project to date. This report presents the findings of this evaluation.